Retail

  Bloomberg Laxman Narasimhan will take over as Starbucks Corp.’s chief executive officer with a long list of pressing tasks, from redesigning cafes to improving profitability. But perhaps none is as pressing as blunting a fast-spreading US union drive. It’s a tall order — especially for a leader without experience operating restaurants. Narasimhan, 55, is coming in from British consumer-goods …

  Bloomberg Tens of thousands of applications for a payment-by-instalment plan have flooded into a British budget grocery chain just two weeks after its launch, as a cost of living crisis crushes UK household incomes. Customers of Iceland Foods have sent in around 60,000 applications so far, more than the total number of loans the credit provider behind the initiative …

  Bloomberg Samsung Electronics Co.’s credit risk falls after Moody’s Investors Service lifted its rating to the same level as the South Korean government, citing the company’s profitability and strong finances. The senior unsecured debt rating of Korea’s biggest company was raised to Aa2, the third highest level, from Aa3, Moody’s said. The cost to insure the technology giant’s debt …

Bloomberg Amazon.com Inc, determined to reduce the size of its sprawling delivery operation amid slowing sales growth, has abandoned dozens of existing and planned facilities around the US, according to a closely watched consulting firm. MWPVL International Inc., which tracks Amazon’s real-estate footprint, estimates the company has either shuttered or killed plans to open 42 facilities totalling almost 25 million …

  Bloomberg Bed Bath & Beyond Inc., short on cash and time, is trying to have its Best Buy moment. While many US retailers’ attempts at a turnaround have failed in recent years, Best Buy Cos.’s is one of the few that’s succeeded. The electronics chain overcame relentless online competition and management missteps to regain its stature during the past …

  Bloomberg Selfridges & Co. is pushing further into selling pre-worn clothing, offering rental services and repairing used items as the UK department-store chain seeks ways to reduce the fashion industry’s weighty environmental impact. Since 2020, Selfridges has increased sales of previously owned items by 240%, according to a report in which it sets out new goals. The retailer has …

  Bloomberg John Lewis Partnership Plc is hiring more than 10,000 temporary workers across the UK to meet demand over the crucial Christmas period. That’s 3,000 more than the department store chain hired in its festive push last year and all employees will receive free food from October to January to help with the higher cost of living, the retailer …

  Bloomberg 3M Co. plans to eliminate jobs as part of a broader cost-cutting drive in response to the slowing economy, according to internal communications. The move comes just days after 3M suffered a setback over a key legal strategy designed to mitigate mounting liabilities and as it faces an array of other challenges, ranging from inflationary woes to sluggish …

  Bloomberg Glow Recipe, a skin-care brand popular for its fruit-based products, is exploring a sale that could value it at $400 million to $500 million. The company is working with Goldman Sachs Group Inc., said the people, who asked to not be identified. It has $80 million in annual revenue. No final decision has been made and Glow Recipe …

Bloomberg Woolworths Holdings Ltd. is preparing to battle the impact of soaring inflation in both its key markets, after increased sales and a growing cash pile allowed the South African retailer to raise the annual dividend higher than expected. While a jump in prices is a global risk, Woolworths said the company’s Australian department-store business “should be somewhat mitigated by …